


Standing in the Sun, Alone?

by TGITFangirl (SilverMillenium_QueenNeptune)



Series: He is Not The Sun (or, The Sexy Single Ladies of TGIT) [2]
Category: Scandal (TV)
Genre: F/M, Long Live Feedback Comment Project
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 12:06:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14378307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverMillenium_QueenNeptune/pseuds/TGITFangirl
Summary: Olivia's made her choice. For once in her life, she's not choosing Fitz, or Jake. She could choose Mellie, but Mellie has Marcus, and she's happy.  Olivia won't destroy that. And so, for once, Olivia Pope is choosing... Olivia Pope.





	Standing in the Sun, Alone?

Sitting on the balcony with the  _first female president of the United States_ one last time, sipping wine.  Life was  _good_ for Olivia Pope right now.  She knew she didn't deserve it. After all, she'd taken on so many things that should have meant the end of her. 

"So, what are you going to do? What comes next for the White House's famous fixer?", Mellie asks.  It nearly shocks Olivia's system. This whole thing is a shock to Olivia's system.  She steels herself, another sip of wine to bring down her nerves. 

"I don't know, Madam President.", she answers crisply, and Mellie brushes it off. The dismissal stings. It stings worse than she's ever known.  But she can't tell Liv that. Won't tell Liv that.  Before she can stop herself, Mellie blurts, 

"I'm thinking of ending things with Marcus." Olivia sits up straight then, regretting it instantly as the alcohol rushes to her head. She wants to scream at Mellie.  What would she be giving up? Why does Olivia really even care? After all, she should be nothing to Mellie, just another whore that her ex-husband, former President Fitzgerald Grant, had slept with. 

"What? Madam President . . . you . . ."

" _Mellie._ ", the brunette corrects, without even the slightest trace of inebriation, though half the bottle is gone and she's on her third glass.  Olivia's brain goes hazy for a moment. Mellie sees it. 

"You're not on my staff any more, Ms. Pope. You're married to my ex-husband. We're not in the office. So enough with the 'Madam President' bullshit.", she laughs. Olivia still stares, lost. Mellie laughs, realizes both of them are feeling buzzed, doesn't care.

"Call me Mellie. Not 'Madam President', not here, Liv. Just Mellie. I'm done being petty if you are." Liv smiles. She's called her that a thousand times, since she started working on the then- junior Senator's campaign.  The Senate hearings were over and she was free now. It was different. She smiles, coming back to the present, back to the moment. 

"Mellie. Why? You love him, don't you?", she asks, still wondering why the other woman would be so willing to let go of the man she loved. Her second great love, in Olivia's eyes. After the Republic, of course. 

"Men hurt us, Liv. They hurt us _so damn much_.", she says softly.  It hits Olivia then. Mellie is choosing herself. After years of choosing duty, standing by her man, Melody Margaret Grant is finally choosing herself, her happiness. Or is she?

"Bullshit.", Olivia counters, leaving Mellie speechless. She smirks, noting the way the other woman's lips part in shock.  At length, she speaks again. 

"You finally let Fitz go, let me marry him.  _Why_ would you?" 

"For you. For him. You make him happy, Liv. In ways I can't. Ways I never could. Divorcing him, giving him to you, that was best. I had to be free."

"For  _you_ too, Mellie. You weren't happy with him. You were happy with Rashad." Mellie recoils at the name of the Bashrani president and Liv flinches. It's B613's fault,  _her_ fault, that Mellie doesn't have him anymore. She shouldn't have brought him up. Mellie glares at her. Who gave her the right? But it fades. 

"You were happy with Marcus.", she whispers next. Mellie realizes, she's right.

"Stand in the sun with him.", Mellie whispers. Olivia's face loses all its' color. 

"What?" Mellie repeats herself, hoping it'll make more sense, knowing it doesn't.  Then she explains and all of a sudden, Olivia's cloudy vision clears and she can see it. She'd envisioned it once with Jake. There was a part of her that would always,  _ **always**_ love Jake Ballard. But she can't stand in the sun with him now. Not the way things have gone. 

"You always said you wanted to stand in the sun with the man you loved. You can't do that with Jake. He'll never stand in the sun again after what he did to David... so. . ." 

"You want me to stand in the sun with Fitz?"

"You love him don't you?", Mellie asks, and Olivia realizes this must hurt her like  _hell._ After all of it, the claw to the top, all the losses, letting go of Fitz is the worst of all.  She nods, tears falling down her face.

"You. Don't. Need. To. Stand. Alone.", Mellie punctuates each word. Each one a blow to Olivia's pride.  She finishes her glass, stands, looks Mellie straight in the eye, doesn't bother to wipe the tears. She gives her friend a firm, final handshake.

"No.  _You're_ the innocent, Mellie. I deserve to stand alone. Fitz can do better, than either of us. Goodbye, and good luck, Madam President."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so cruel. I promise there will be a fic where I fix this. Just not in this series. I live for kudos and comments!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [He's Gone Now, Honey.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14975390) by [TGITFangirl (SilverMillenium_QueenNeptune)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverMillenium_QueenNeptune/pseuds/TGITFangirl)




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